


White Marriage

by dancey94



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Romance, Fake Marriage, Inheritance, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-14 19:59:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11790381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancey94/pseuds/dancey94
Summary: Will comes into a large inheritance but there is one condition - he has to be married to collect the money. It's the last day before the fortune goes away forever and Will's plan falls to ruin as his friend does not appear at the registry office. Instead, a handsome man arrives and offers to act as a replacement.





	White Marriage

The rain had been pouring for more than an hour. Will kept his hand in his pocket and rolled the two gold rings between his fingers. He bit his lip as he heard the metal clang. In less than an hour he’d be a married man, something he had never imagined. Then again, he was happy with the turn of events. He was even hopeful. Hopeful that the whole arrangement would turn out to be right and that somehow, in all the chaos and lies, he would remain happily married.

With an unconscious smile on his lips, Will watched an expensive car arrive by the stairs to the registry office. A man in a dark suit got out, holding an umbrella, locked the car and walked up the stairs. It was only when the man was standing face to face with Will that he could see the sharp features of the elegantly dressed man: the noble nose, cheeks capable of cutting steel and piercing maroon eyes.

“Are you Will Graham?” the man asked, revealing his accent.

“Yes,” Will answered slowly, already suspecting that something bad had happened.

“My name is Hannibal Lecter. I’m a friend of Alana’s. I am really sorry but doctor Bloom has been unexpectedly summoned to appear in court as a witness and simply couldn’t make it.”

Will nodded, closed his eyes and turned away. He rubbed his forehead and his eyelids under the glasses.

“I am aware you had an arrangement,” Hannibal continued, twisting the knife already causing Will immense pain. Well, he couldn’t say that it wasn’t his fault. It was Will who prolonged the waiting, who couldn’t make the decision, who continued to be stubborn. It would be too late for everything in a few hours. But he still had _some_ time. Perhaps not all hope was lost. Perhaps he could ask any girl on the street to agree to marry him for a few thousand dollars.

“I can imagine why doctor Bloom was your best choice. But, in the obvious lack of options, perhaps, you would consider marrying me?”

Will’s eyes widened, pupils almost exploded. Could this stranger have just offered to be a replacement for the ceremony? Well, since he was informed about the whole affair, he must have known the consequences and the rest of the scheme. The annulment in less than two months. Based on lack of consummation.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I can always figure out a different solution.”

“Time is of essence, is it not? I am willing to help, if you wish. All you need to do is ask.”

It didn’t take long for Will to think on the proposal. He was desperate.

“I’d be eternally grateful. I know it’s not very…honourable of me but…”

“I completely understand the unusual circumstances.”

“I’m only not so sure if they,” Will pointed at the front door, “will be happy about the sudden change.”

“Let me take care of that. I’ve been told I have unique social skills,” Hannibal winked and opened the door, waiting for Will to enter first. Truly a gentleman.

Will waited in the corridor as Hannibal disappeared into the main office. Not even ten minutes later, the man returned, all cheerful and smiling, and offered his arm for Will.

“I take it you managed to save the day?”

Hannibal did not say anything, only kept smiling and led Will inside the office where the deal would be sealed. The room was painted white; there were benches and chairs covered in white cloth with fake flowers pinned to them. By the wall, there was a desk with a bible and a few leather binders on it. There was no one behind it and no one in the room at all. Will and Hannibal took a seat and waited.

“Did you give them your personal details?” Will asked after a moment.

“Yes. The lady in the office seemed friendly. Especially after I offered a fashion advice.”

“Oh,” Will suddenly felt acutely self-conscious. He looked down on his shirt and trousers. They _were_ ironed, the day before. And they were probably the best pieces of clothing Will owned.

“You look great, Will,” Hannibal assured.

“I don’t go out much and my job does not require me to-”

Will was interrupted by the door being opened. A lady in a suit entered and approached the two men. They shook hands and then, the lady stood behind the desk.

“With the sudden change of partner, I assume you expect a quick ceremony, to have the formalities out of the way?”

“Well…you could spare us the speech about the beauty of marriage,” Will asked, slightly hesitant, afraid that his behaviour might cause the lady to refuse to participate in a farce.

“I made him watch so many romantic movies that he simply doesn’t believe anyone could come up with something original anymore,” Hannibal explained and grabbed Will’s hand. The touch startled Will but he remembered that it was only an act and that he had to maintain it for at least the next few minutes, until he’d have the ring on his finger and the money in his bank account.

The lady did not spare a few words but seeing Will’s jaw twist in a held back yawn, she kept the ceremony quick and simple. Rings being exchanged and signatures staining the documents, Will shook Hannibal’s hand, a gesture at which the lady frowned but eventually shrugged her shoulders. Will could only imagine how many different freaks she must have served in the office.

Hannibal led the way out of the building, where the rain continued to pour and repeatedly hit the ground. Ostensibly, Will took off the wedding ring and put it in his pocket.

“Going to cheat on me already?” Hannibal asked playfully.

“Oh, um…well, it’s fake anyway, so…”

“Where to now? I see you don’t have an umbrella. I could offer you a lift.”

“Actually…I was thinking, I could go to the notary’s office. This whole arrangement is…”

“Inconvenient?”

“To say the least.”

“Alright. I’ll take you to there, you collect your inheritance and, perhaps, you would join your husband for a drink?”

Will chuckled, though terrified of how real the words sounded. The marriage wasn’t fake, they were truly husband and husband now.

“Fine. Only don’t try to seduce me. I’m taken.”

Will was tempted to wave his finger before Hannibal’s eyes but he realised he had taken off the ring. He’d have to put it back on at the notary’s office.

In the car, Hannibal asked about Will’s friendship with Alana and explained what was the nature of their relationship. It seemed as if everyone was friendly with doctor Bloom but no one was really aware of that.

“I’ll wait here. You may take my umbrella,” Hannibal offered as Will got out of the car.

Everything seemed to go smoothly that day, excluding Alana’s absence, and, after presenting the marriage certificate, Will was given the whole sum his uncle had left him. It was transferred directly on his account and, upon looking at the sole number of digits, Will’s head spun. He did it. He was rich. Not that it was his life goal or that he truly cared for a fortune; he never played any games or took part in lotteries, but rejecting such a tempting offer was beneath him. That money was his to take, under one tiny condition, and he took it.

“Ready to celebrate?” Hannibal asked when Will returned. A single nod was all the answer necessary.

 

Will woke up sore. His eyelids, legs and arms were made of lead, his head and back ached. There was something heavy pressing on his thigh and something hot pressing against his spine. He could barely breathe but he was conscious and aware of his surroundings. He was in his bedroom, lying in his own bed.

With horror will realised he couldn't remember what had happened the previous day or how he got home. He stayed motionless as he tried to retrace his steps. Thankfully, he knew what day it was and that he had been supposed to marry Alana but that for some reason she couldn't make it. A man had arrived to tell him that and...offered to act as a replacement. Will's mouth hung open as he realized _exactly_ what happened.

Hannibal had offered a drink, they started talking, exchanged information and, before Will knew it, he paid for the drinks and the taxi which took them to Will's apartment. He’d had a bottle of whiskey left and a few cans of beers. He even remembered how gracefully Hannibal refused to drink cheap beer and how sober he appeared. And then...nothing. Complete blackout. As if someone had pulled the plug on Will.

Suddenly, the hot something shifted behind Will. He blinked and got a whiff of delicate, pleasantly smelling perfumes, one he remembered form his last visit to a drugstore but found too expensive. Well, now he could afford it. But the scent...

Will turned slowly, hoping not to disturb anything or anyone he'd see behind him. It hit him hard when he spotted mused hair upon a forehead of the man he had married the day before. Will managed to put a hand on his mouth and hold back a gasp, terrified. He couldn't remember a thing after inviting Hannibal home but he could deduce as much. The pain in the back, the mess on the bed... Will reached beneath the covers and was relieved to find he was wearing underwear. Still, it didn’t rule out the possibility of-

More importantly, was Hannibal wearing anything? Will could only see the man's bare chest, which looked tempting, to say the least, with the thick and dense hair on it. Will was on the verge of crying and screaming. Everything happened too much and too fast. He had been only supposed to marry a woman he liked to get the inheritance and a day later he was married to a virtual stranger with whom he most probably had had sex and who was, surprise surprise, a guy. Where did he go wrong?

“Good morning,” Will heard the voice and closed his eyes in vain hope he was dreaming. It was just a nightmare, must have been.

“Will? should I go?”

Will felt a warm hand press against his shoulder now, rubbing reassuringly.

“I don't know,” Will whispered. He was lost and confused.

He saw a pair of trousers that definitely didn't belong to him, folded neatly on the back of a chair. Someone's shirt was lying nearby. Will ran a hand through his hair and turned to look at Hannibal.

“Is something wrong? Do you want me to go?”

“No, I...stay. I just have to take a-” Will spotted the ring on Hannibal's finger, “shower,” he gulped. It was real. It wasn't a dream. He’d had sex with the only person on earth he shouldn't have. His white marriage was stained.

“I'll make us breakfast,” Hannibal announced with a proud smile which Will despised already. How could he have let himself become entangled in that whole affair? Then again, perhaps he deserved that lesson – that money was not worth running after, that he had to pay for his dishonesty.

While in the shower, Will thought of his options, now that he’d thrown annulment out of the window. It seemed he had to settle for the divorce. He could only hope that wouldn’t cause any trouble for either him or Hannibal.

Even before he appeared in the small kitchen, Will could smell the eggs. It was probably the only thing Hannibal could find in the fridge. Will ate very little, frequently out, so there was not much to offer.

“Hey,” Will said unsurely.

“Feeling fresh enough?”

“Yeah. Um…it smells nice,” Will complimented as he watched Hannibal serve the eggs on two white plates. There were also two cups with tea on the table and a few slices of bread.

“I had to improvise.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that.”

“No apology necessary.”

The men sat down and Will immediately began eating. He must have drunk so much the previous night. Hannibal, on the other hand, was careful. He sipped his tea and tried not to look around too much. His eyes never left Will.

“Do I have something…?” Will wiped his cheeks with a thumb while Hannibal smiled.

“No. You only seem uneasy. And tired. Does your head hurt?”

“Like hell.”

Will finished his eggs, put the plate into the sink, and looked for painkillers. He washed down two pills with his tea which turned out to be something to enjoy rather than swallow mindlessly.

“Thank you for breakfast,” Will said, awkwardly.

“You’re welcome.”

Hannibal also finished his meal and was about to say something when Will’s phone broke the silence. It was Alana. Will rejected the call and sat down heavily.

“I think I should go now,” Hannibal said when his phone started ringing.

“Is it Alana?”

“Yes.”

“Please, don’t answer.”

Will watched as Hannibal’s finger slowly swiped across the screen towards the red button.

“Now, she’ll get suspicious. But… Could we, maybe, not tell her that we spent the night together? I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

“Alright. It’s fine, Will. I won’t talk to her about it.”

Will felt really bad. He seemed to have made all the wring decisions, all because of some money. Well, lots of money. But still, his life was slowly falling apart because of a number on his bank account. He couldn’t help but feel that his life had been better when he simply made a decent amount of money by working honestly. Why had he given in to the temptation?

“I’m really sorry. I just don’t want to… I’m really confused right now.”

“I understand. I have to go anyway.”

With that, the man was gone. Will was left alone in his apartment, lonely, confused and guilty.

 

 

Will appeared exactly an hour later at Alana’s doorstep. Before the woman managed to open the door, Will heard the dogs run up to it and bark cheerfully at the guest.

“Finally!” Alana exclaimed and invited Will inside. The dogs blocked his way so he was forced to pet them. He wouldn’t admit it but he found the idea of talking to them more pleasant than telling everything to Alana.

“Come on!”

“On my way.”

Will followed Alana into the living room, where the dogs settled calmly by the sofa and kept wiggling their tails by Will’s legs. Alana sat in a huge comfy armchair opposite Will and waited.

“Well…,” Will started.

“Well, don’t sell me the bullshit, Will. I know something’s not right.”

“It’s fine. Hannibal arrived, told me you couldn’t make it and we decided to get married instead.”

“And then?”

“We split. We agreed to get in touch for the annulment and that’s it.”

“So why did neither you or him answer my call this morning?”

“I was taking a shower. I called you immediately after I saw the missed call. Don’t know about him.”

“And you didn’t talk to Hannibal at all after the ceremony?”

“There was no need. I went to the notary’s office straight away, collected the money and went back home.”

“No celebration? What were you doing at home all evening?”

“Is this an interrogation?”

Will stood up and paced the room, nervously but trying hard to hide it. It was more than certain that he’d fail. Alana could read him like an open book. She had known something was wrong before he even crossed the threshold of her house.

“I see it’s a delicate subject,” Alana concluded.

“Yeah, well, you, better than anyone, know how edgy the whole ordeal made me feel.”

“And yet you went through with it.”

“Let’s just drop it. I have the money, I’ll file for the annulment, everything will be fine. How are _you_?”

A smile appeared on Alana’s face. She even blushed faintly. Will was imagining the worst and the best words that she could utter at that moment. He expected the worst, matching the theme of the day, and the best, hoping to break the spell.

“I met someone,” Alana announced, breaking Will’s heart.

“Who? When?”

“Yesterday. At the court. Hannibal must have told you I had been summoned,” Will nodded and smiled, not because of his friend’s luck but at the irony of his fate. The day he was supposed to marry a woman he actually liked and hoped to never have to file for the annulment, she met someone else and sent a replacement.

“He did, yes. Who is the lucky person?”

“Well…her name is Margot. She’s fighting for her father’s fortune.”

“How ironic,” Will couldn’t refrain from muttering.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s nothing. I’m happy for you.”

“We had a few drinks, hit it off and…she kissed me on my doorstep when she saw me off. It was amazing. I never really dreamed about it before it happened. It was just…I can’t describe it.”

“Sounds like a scene from a cheap romantic comedy,” Will remarked.

“You’re right. It does. I don’t expect anything from her but I hope she calls soon.”

“Does she have your number?”

Alana only nodded. She seemed happy and Will felt bad for being jealous. He’d had plenty of chances to say how he felt about her and he’d blown all of them. Now, it was someone else’s turn. Will knew it was about time to get over it. He had his own problems now. The best he could do was to show support for his friend.

Will approached Alana and, in a rush of intense emotions, hugged her tightly.

“I hope you end up happy,” he whispered affectionately.

“I hope so, too.”

They remained in the embrace for a while before Alana spoke again.

“Will you tell me now what’s wrong?”

“I think I was just being selfish. I guess that’s who I am – a selfish bastard.”

“No, you’re not. You care about your friends.”

“Friends?”

“Well, your friend.”

“Case in point.”

“Maybe Hannibal could become your friend? He’s really nice, educated and-”

“I’ll be fine. I have to go now.”

“Will…”

“Take care.”

 

Finding Hannibal was not even a bit difficult. With that name, he appeared first thing as Will looked him up, and only then had to blink and frown. Hannibal Lecter was a psychiatrist, a former surgeon; he had a private practice and his working hours were not yet over. Will quickly headed for the given address.

The door to the office opened, releasing a patient. No one followed. No one exited or entered. It was just Will, the pair of door and, possibly, Hannibal still inside. Will waited awkwardly for a moment before knocking.

Silence answered him. Then, after a while, the door was opened by the handsome impeccably dressed man.

“Will? Perfect timing. I just finished my last appointment.”

“Can I come in?”

“Is this about the formalities? The documents?” Hannibal asked as he invited Will inside. There were books, notebooks and plenty of small trinkets everywhere. The atmosphere was strangely intimate.

“No. I... So no one else will come here tonight?”

“If so, unexpectedly, much like yourself,” Hannibal explained, packing his things up.

“Sorry. I don't have your address and-”

“Perhaps we should change the scenery then? How do you feel about a lamb for dinner?” Hannibal asked with a wide proud smile.

“Wow. You cook? I really didn't, um... You know, I...came here with bad intentions,” Will found it terribly difficult to speak his mind and the man appeared more and more worthy of getting to know, which made Will even more uneasy.

“You have all my attention. Come, Will. Let me treat you properly.”

“It's me who should do that,” Will muttered. Hannibal kept smiling as he led Will out of the office and locked the door.

“Did you come here on foot?”

Will nodded in response.

“Good.”

The drive to Hannibal’s house was silent. Will tried to remember the way while Hannibal glanced at him from time to time. When the men arrived by the house, Will gulped and blinked.

“This is yours?” he asked with astonishment.

“Mine and only. Why?”

“It's... It looks amazing. Quite a big house for just one person.”

“I often throw dinner parties,” Hannibal explained. “To which you'll be invited from now on.”

“Oh, I... You wouldn't want me there.”

Hannibal didn't respond. He unlocked the door and ushered Will inside.

If the exterior was something to judge the house by, the interior was a different story altogether. It was spacious and smelt nice, probably of the white and ivory flowers in the vase by the front door.

“Come further inside. I'll pour us a glass of wine. Would you like that?”

Will thought about the previous night. Drinking with that man was a bad idea. But it had been a bad idea that got him into this mess and more bad ideas why he was in his husband’s house right now.

“I don't really know what to say right now.”

“Then say nothing. Follow me.”

Hannibal took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He loosened the tie, then decided to get rid of it completely. As he reached for a bottle of red wine, Will watched the muscles in his forearm flex. Hannibal was slim and had graceful movements. Will could still remember the shape of his chest. Unconsciously, he reached his lips with his finger. Hannibal poured them a drink and, as he handed the glass to Will, he noticed the finger still on Will’s lower lip.

“Did you cut yourself?”

“What? Oh.”

Slightly ashamed, Will took the glass and gulped the wine. He needed to keep his hands busy. Still, he’d come there with bad intentions. Why not go through?

Then, it hit him. Hannibal had not yet taken out the meat or anything he was going to present for dinner. He was sipping his wine, just like Will, with a particularly warm but also smug smile on his face. Will wondered if he was that easy to see through. His fingers moved up and down the stem of the glass as he licked his lips. He was rich now, his crush met someone else; Will wanted to act recklessly. He wanted to be free.

With that in mind, he reached for Hannibal’s glass and put it on the counter behind him. The man did not oppose. Will was slightly tense but figured he had nothing to lose anymore. He was aware of the intense gaze on him, of Hannibal being conscious exactly where this was going. So he let it happen.

Without any warning, Will pressed against Hannibal and put his mouth on the man’s lips. Hannibal was ready and apparently eager to welcome him. The second their lips touched, Hannibal placed his palm on Will’s cheek. Will almost melted under the gentle press. He went back in his mind to the night before, his mind was troubled and curious. He regretted not being able to remember Hannibal’s body on and in him. Or could it have been the other way around? He hated himself for not knowing even that.

When Hannibal pulled away, Will opened his eyes, a bit scared.

“Was that the bad intentions you talked about?”

Without even realising or wishing to, Will blushed.

“That’s only a taste. I came…for more.”

“For more?” Hannibal asked, amused, his eyes wide, his palm stroking Will’s skin.

“Let me be painfully honest right now. Perhaps we could delay dinner? I’d like to get to know you better but what I need right now is a quick remedy for my loneliness. I thought that you, as my husband, could be the one I should turn to for help.”

The words were half-serious half-playful but Will meant every single one. He watched Hannibal’s face, hoping to see a hint, a little something that would indicate he had just made a fool of himself and should retreat before he could go anymore wrong. Nothing like that happened. Hannibal only reached for Will’s hand and massaged the back of it while gathering the proper words for his answer.

“I like you, Will. And that was a very promising kiss. But I don’t think it would be a wise move for us to take it any step further, do you?”

Will nodded, slightly ashamed of himself, and moved away from Hannibal. He was about to turn and walked away, when a strong hand grabbed his shoulder.

“Will. Let’s have dinner. We can return to this conversation after the annulment. Meanwhile, we can still kiss and-”

“What are you talking about? The annulment is non-existent in our situation. I’ll have to file for divorce.”

“Why? Based on lack of consummation, you can get the annulment. Our marriage will be erased.”

Will frowned. He looked at Hannibal like at a madman. Then, he took a seat by a table and put his head in his hands.

“Can you, please, tell me, what happened last night?”

Hannibal blinked. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Then, with a pitiful smile, he took a seat next to Will by the table.

“We had a few drinks. Perhaps, you had more than you could manage. Well, definitely. We went to your apartment. We kissed. You wanted me to stay, so I stayed. We undressed and went to sleep.”

Will wanted to crawl under the ground and never have to face Hannibal again. He hid his face behind his hands, instead.

“I admit, under other circumstances, I would not decline. But given our deal and the fact that you were barely walking by the end of the evening, I had to resist your advances,” Hannibal said in such a low and pleasant tone that Will was certain he could have the man in his bed every night and fall asleep to the sole sound of his voice, no matter the content.

“I’m…really embarrassed right now. And sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like I was accusing you of taking advantage of my state of… I’m really sorry. I should probably go now.”

“Will… We’ve known each other for…a little more than twenty-four hours. I already like you and you need company. Let’s have that dinner and see where it leads us. Does that sound alright to you?”

Will nodded, barely able to look the man in the eye. Then, he felt a kiss being pressed to his cheek.

“I promised you a proper treatment,” Hannibal winked as he began preparing their meal.


End file.
